Steam trap



| P. FLOOD STEAM TRAP July 10, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1930 awueut oz A [00]. 77000 33513 um W L. P. FLOOD July 10, 1934.

STEAM TRAP File d June 9, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i i X l Patented July 10, I934 UNITED; ST TE PATENT OFFICE STEAM TRAP I I I e'o P, meta, Sunnyside, N. Y. e Ap lication June 9, 1930, Serial No. 459,874

' 3 Claims. (01. 137-103) The-invention relates to traps'such as are used forventingwaterfrom'steam mains and the like In a steam trap it is desirable that the trap outletvalve be opened and closed quickly and posl itively to. prevent so-oalledfwire drawing with its resultant'destructive effects on the valve.

According to a preferredjembodiment'of the invention," the steam trap may comprise a casing having a removable head, the head being provided 10 with a removable cap. A bucket float maybe p'rovidedin the casing, and the head'may be provided with an auxiliary chamber having a depending tube communicating] with the interior of the bucket float. The discharge valve may be disposed in the auxiliary chamber, and the jseat ofthe valve'may'be located in the cap andmay be removable. f' Aj's'pindle may be connected to the bucket float, passing through the depending tube, to" operate the valve closing it when the A lever arrangement may'connect the spindle and valve disc multiplying the force exerted on the-valvedisc and 'a lost motion connectionmay be: provided between the lever and' the 'disc so that the float'may'gain' considerable momentum, causing,the lever to strike 1 a" blow on the valve dise' to open" 'thevalvef V I 1 e -If desired, the -valve seat may be replaced with valve seats'having orifices of'difier'ent sizes, and provision may be made sothatthe adjustment or position 'of the operating parts is not requiredto be changed, the valve disc also seating inthev same position irrespective of the particular size of seat; In this way'sub'stantially the same net force will open the valve no 'matter what steam pressure is e The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and'lcombjinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed. @Although the'novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in jthe'cla'ims ap pended hereto, theinvention itself, as to its objects and'advantages,- the mode of its operation and the manner of its organization'may befbetter understood by referring to the'ffollowing description taken in. connection with the accompanying drawingsformingafpart thereof, 'in which V .Eigure 1 is a top plan viewof the trap; Figure 2 is a section on the line 2f; of Figure'l; Figures 3 and 4 are sections taken on the lines 355' 3- 3 and4 -4respectively-of Figure 2; and a bucket float rises-and opening it whenthe bucket Figures 5 and 5a are details illustrating the operation of the valve disc with different size'valve seats. a I

Inthe following description' and in the claims parts will'be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings. 7

In the drawings accompanying jand formin part of this specification, 3. practical commercial embodiment of the invention is disclosed, but as such illustration is primarily for' purposes of dis closure, it will be understood that-the structure may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad spirit and scope ofthe invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

, Referring now'to the drawings, thetrap comprises a body or casing 10, having a removable cover '11, the casing and cover being provided with meeting surfaces between which a gasket 12 is disposed. Suitable bolt members 100 may be provided for fastening the cover and easing together. I The casing is provided with a threaded inlet opening 13, divided into two branch openings 14. The casingis also provided witha threaded outlet opening 15. It will be understood that the inlet opening 13 will beconnected to the steam pipe, or-other device, it is desiredto drain and that the outlet opening =15-will beconnecte'd to a pipe delivering'the drained water to any desired location. A plug 16 maybe threaded into the bottom of the casing for draining and cleaning purposes; -.Located in the .casing 10 is an open top bucket float l'lconnected to a spindle 18, which has a reduoedthreaded portion 19 passing through the bottom of the float, and having threaded thereon an enlarged nut 20 acting also as a weight to properly weight the bucket assembly. The spindle maybe provided with a plurality of spacing members 2l, which have guiding relation with a tube 22 threaded into the wall 23 of the auxiliary chamber 101. The spindle 18 passes through the tube22 into the auxiliary chamberlOl for operating the valve, as will be hereinafter explained more in detail. T v

Located on the top of the cover 11 is a'removable cap 24 suitably-bolted to the cover by bolts 102, there being a gasket 32-between the cap 24 .and the cover 11 to make a water-tight joint, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The. cap 24is provided with a removable plug '28 for giving access to the valve seat.

The cap 24 is provided with a'depending annular flanged shoulder 25, which seats a flanged valve seat 26. An annular nut member 27 having a suitable screw driver slot is threaded into the shouldered flange 25 to securely hold the valve seat 26 in position. The cap 24 is provided with an opening 30 communicating with the valve seat 26, and the cover 11 is provided with an opening 31 communicating with the opening 30 and the outlet opening 15 to convey the water discharged through the valve seat 26.

Referring now to Figure 5, the valveseat 26 is provided with an orifice 38 and a tapered mouth 37 against which seats the valve plug 33 having a disc 36, which is also tapered as indicated. Secured to the valve disc 36 is a pair of spaced collars 34 between which is a reduced portion 35'; Secured to the lower collar 3.4 is. a reduced por= tion 44 acting as a guide for the valve disc,. and.

slidably mounted in the adjacent part of the wall 23. b

The cap 24 has a depending member 29. to which is pivoted a lever 39 by means of a pin. 42.. Thelever 39is provided with. a pair of forks 40, which slidably receive the pin 41 which passes through the spindle 18. The lever 39 is provided with a pair ofinwardly projecting extensions or ribs 43 engaging between the collars 34. U ends of the ribs 43 which engage .the upper collar 34 in the position shown in Fig. 2 arerounded while the sides of the,ribs 43 which engage the lower collar 34 to open the valve are flat.

It will be noted, that the: valve disc 26 is. not threaded-into the; flange 25, and is simply remov able therefrom by unscrewing first the plug 23.

* tapered mouth 37a isnecessarily extended but has the same angle of taper and remains in the same position relative to the operating mechanism for the valve plug 33 as theseat 26, and will seat the same plug. The valve seat 2611 is the same size and shape as'the valve seat 26 inall other respects. Thus nomatter what size orifice 38 is used, the same valve plug 33 will close the valve without requiring any adjustment of the operating mechanism. By using a valve seat 26 having the proper size orifice 38 with the particular steam pressure used a force of substantially the same value" is obtained with any steam pressure for holding the valve plug 33 on its seat and hence a constant operating force will remove the valve plug 33 from its seat with all steam pressures used.

In operation, the water draining into the trap through the inlet opening 13 is. prevented from being discharged directly into the bucket 17 by the. branch openings 14. This water passes down theinterior .wall of. the casing 10, filling up the casing, and exerting a buoyant effect on the float 17. assisting the steam pressure in holding the valve plug 3.3 firmly seated against the seat. As the water rises in the casing to the top of the float 17., it overflows: into the. float. When the water reaches a. predetermined level indicated for: instance by the line A, the float rapidly sinks, pulling down the lever 39 and; causing it to ex- The.

ert a considerable blow on the lower collar 34, suddenly and positively opening the valve plug 33.

When the bucket once begins to fall, the water in the casing 10 and the water coming in through the branch openings 14 flow into the bucket, increasing the rapidity of its fall, thereby assisting in applying a considerable force to the valve plug to open the valve. Thus not only is. considerable mechanical advantage by the lever 39 0btained but the, force of the impact is also obtained, to open the valve quickly and positively.

As soon as the valve is opened, steam pressure forces the water up through the tube 22 into theauxiliary chamber 101, and through the valve orifice 38, and passages 30, 31 and 15. The water continues to discharge until the water level the; floatreaches a predetermined position,

as for instance indicated by the line B. This causes the buoyant efiect of the water in the casing 10 to overcome the. weight of, bucket assembly, and the bucket begins. to rise with. con- Due to the. velocity of the bucket float .17, the.

studs43 engage the upper collar 34 with considerable force, positively closing the valve'plug 33.. As soonas. the valve plug 33 isjclosed, the pressure inside the trap assists in holding it closed; This condition obtains until the fills up withwater sufficiently high. to overflow into the bucket float 1,7; the cycle above described then being repeated.

"Thus a trap for venting water from pressure mains has been described,"which is simple in construction. and, effective in operation- "The arrangement is such that considerable forcev is applied to the valve disc for both'op'ening and closing, thereby assuring positive and quick opening" and closing of the valve effectively preventing wire drawing. Furthermore, provision ismade for easilyfrenewing'the. valve seat when worn without further adjustments being. necessary. In addition; the. trap may be usedf'with a. wide range oi steam pressures by using valve seats havin'gdifferent sized orifices, insuring the force necessary for opening and 'closing'. the. valve being. substantially the same :for all steam, pressures used. Itwill', be .understoodjthat to open the valve, the steam pressuremusti be overcome and that the force exerted by the steam pressure is proportional to the productof. the steam pressure and'the area ofthe orifice in the valve seat. Thus for large steam pressures a smaller orifice is'used. At'the same time the orifice will bemade of suflicient size so'that all of the water to be ventedwill be expelled within an allowable timelimit.

' While certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed outin thefannexed claims, it'will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the. forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled the invention. I What isiclaimed ist;

' 1.. In a trap; a hollow casing having an. inlet in it's sidewall, an open top bucket float in said casing, a spindle secured to the bottom of said float. a removable; head for said casing, said head having a'depending chamber with an opening in its top wall, a guide tube depending from thebottomwall of said chamber into said float, a removable ca'p closing the top openingof said in the art witliout departing fromthe spirit of chamber, said cap having a depending opening, a removable valve seat seated in saidopening and having a conical mouth, a valve member having a conical plug engageable with said mouth and a collar spaced from said plug and a shank guided in the wall of said chamber, a fulcrum on said cap, said valve member being located between said depending member and spindle, and a lever pivoted to said fulcrum and to the top of said spindle and having a bearing part located between said valve plug and collar, said valve plug and collar being spaced considerably greater than the size of said bearing part, whereby said; float will gain substantial velocity and said bearing part will strike said collar a substantial blow to open the valve.

2. In a steam trap, a hollow casing having an inlet in its side wall, an open top bucket float in said casing, a spindle having a shoulder and a stem pasing through the bottom of said float, a weight nut threaded on said stem to hold the wall of said float between said nut and shoulder, a removable head for said casing, said head having a depending chamber with an opening in its top wall, a guide tube depending from the bottom wall of said chamber'into said float, guide members on said spindle engaging said tube, a removable cap closing the top opening of said chamber, said cap having a depending shouldered opening, a removable valve seat having a flange seated against said shoulder and a conical mouth, a valve member having a conical plug engageable with said mouth and a collar spaced from said plug and a shank guided in the wall of said chamber, 2. depending fulcrum on said cap, said valve member being located between said depending member and spindle, and a lever pivoted to said fulcrum and having a forked end engaging a pin on the end of said-spindle and having a bearing part located between said valve plug and collar, said valve plug and collar being spaced considerably greater than the size of said hearing part, whereby said float will gain substantial velocity and said bearing part will strike said collar a substantial blow to open the valve, said cap, top and easing have aligned passages leading from said cap opening, said casing having a threaded outlet connecting with said passages.

3. In a trap, a hollow casing having an inlet, an open top bucket float in said casing, a spindle secured to the bottom of said float, an, auxiliary chamber at the top of said casing and having an opening in its top wall, a guide tube depending from the bottom wall of said chamber into said float, a removable valve seat at said opening and having a conical mouth, a valve member having -a conical plug engageable with said m'outh, means for guiding said valve member in said auxiliary chamber, a fulcrum in said chamber, said valve member being located between said depending tube and fulcrum, and a lever pivoted to said fulcrum and to the top of said spindle and having a lost motion connection with said valve member, aremovable closure in said casing to give access to remove said valve seat, and additional and separate valve seats having difierent size orifices and having conical mouths with the same taper as said plug and first mouth, whereby different size seats may be used separately with different pressures and the range of, movement of said plug is always the same.

LEO P. FLOOD. 

